Long term parental unemployment and children who fail in school

Michel Duée

Success at baccalauréat level (equivalent to A-level) is far less common amongst children
whose father has endured a period of long-term unemployment. The difference in this
success rate is 20%. This difference is partly due to the fact that unemployment primarily
concerns fathers with few qualifications, less able to help their children with their
schoolwork. But parental unemployment also carries its own specific problem: it reduces
the probability of obtaining the baccalauréat by 12%.